Stena Line celebrated a double milestone last week with the launch of the first of its NewMax hybrid vessels, Stena Futura, and the keel-laying ceremony for its sister ship, Stena Connecta.

The twin ceremonies, held at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai, marked critical phases in the construction of Stena Line’s new generation of RoRo ferries, which will significantly increase freight capacity on the Belfast-Heysham route.

Once operational, the Stena Futura and Stena Connecta will boost Stena Line’s freight capacity by 40% along this key route, responding to growing demand for services between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Scheduled for deployment starting in autumn 2025, the NewMax vessels are poised to offer a seamless, high-capacity freight solution to customers across the Irish Sea.